PROFESS • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Profess

Add this Dictionary
to your website!
See more options...

/prəfˈɛs/ Listen

verb

Profess v. t. (past & past part. professed; pres. part. professing)

To make open declaration of, as of one's knowledge, belief, action, etc.; to avow or acknowledge; to confess publicly; to own or admit freely. "Hear me profess sincerely." "The best and wisest of them all professed To know this only, that he nothing knew."

To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of. "I do profess to be no less than I seem."

To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one's self versed in; to make one's self a teacher or practitioner of, to set up as an authority respecting; to declare (one's self to be such); as, he professes surgery; to profess one's self a physician.

Profess v. i.

To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess.

To declare friendship. (Obs.)

See images of 'Profess'

Etymology of 'Profess'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

Share |

"Profess" Quotes from Famous Books

... an age perfectly different, in all conceivable respects, from that to which it properly belonged as a reality, I have expressed that opinion on more than one occasion, within a year or so, in "Household Words." I do not think it consistent with my respect for myself, or for the art I profess, to blow hot and cold in the same breath; and to laugh at the institution in print, and accept the hospitality of its representative while the ink is staring us all in the face. There is a great deal too much of this among us, ...

— The Letters of Charles Dickens - Vol. 1 (of 3), 1833-1856 • Charles Dickens

... central-station work Edison has had very much this kind of experience; for while many of his opponents came to acknowledge the novelty and utility of his plans, and gave him unstinted praise, there are doubtless others who to this day profess to look upon him merely as an adapter. How different the view of so eminent a scientist as Lord Kelvin was, may be appreciated from his remark when in later years, in reply to the question why some one else did not invent so obvious ...

— Edison, His Life and Inventions • Frank Lewis Dyer and Thomas Commerford Martin

... the unthought-on accident is guilty Of what we wildly do, so we profess Ourselves to be the slaves of chance, and flies Of every wind that blows." "Winter's Tale," Act iv., ...

— Strange Pages from Family Papers • T. F. Thiselton Dyer

... darker shades of their character it should be stated that instances of theft are extremely rare amongst them. They profess strong affection for their children and some regard for their relations who are often numerous, as they trace very far the ties of consanguinity. A curious instance of the former was mentioned to us and so well authenticated that I shall venture ...

— The Journey to the Polar Sea • John Franklin

... this Springfield speech which Judge Douglas says he has read so carefully. I expressed my belief in the existence of a conspiracy to perpetuate and nationalize slavery. I did not profess to know it, nor do I now. I showed the part Judge Douglas had played in the string of facts constituting to my mind the proof of that conspiracy. I showed ...

— The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Complete - Constitutional Edition • Abraham Lincoln

More quotes...